The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-05
VANDERBILT's CHICKENS.
The Manager of His Poultry Yards Sells the
Stock, Pockets the Money and Skips.


Stock, Pockets the Money and Skips.
New York World.
Poulterer Tams has run away. That is the
news that shocked Oakdale, Patchogue,
even sent few far-reachlng ripples of excite
ment into this hot humid town. If H. c. Tams
had been any body's poulterer but VIM. K. Van
der pilt's he might have fed once day for years
and not kicked no any fuss, but as he tended
the hens and fed the chicks, and cared for the
ducks and for the geese that dwelt in
the house of Vanderbilt his flight has
created great deal of interest. Knowing
doubtless that great interest would be created.
Mr.. Tams took care to add to it by Juggling off
with him some $1,000 belonging to his governor
This little precauton on his part has not only
had the effect he calculated upon, but has been
the cause of sundry detectives being put his
track. AS the soil Of Long Island about Oakdaie
is exceedingly sandy Mr. Tams has but little to
fear from them. Furthermore, he away
about week ago. thus showing his shrewdness
liz leaving cold tracks for the detectives hatch
on. Some two or three years ago Mr.. w. IS. Van
derbilt, the Vanderbilt of to-day, thought it
would be fine scheme to own frst-class
poultry-yard, not a mere inclosure of common,
everyday. hybrid. harn-door fowl, but
q choice, wired-iu aggregation of hight
feathered beauties. such Burnham, Upham,
Stoddard, Kirby and all the chicken fanciers
Oakdale, about fifty miles from this town,
where arm of the great south bay reaches up
to his vast lawns. OF course you cannot run
much of hennery without a irst-class hennist
to boss things and keep the Houdans from lay
ing Plymouth Rock eggs, and the Laneshans
from getting feathered up like the ordinary
black Cochin of commerce II. G.. Tams, OF
England was brought over to Oakdale and put
in charge of all the acres he needed to start
fine egg farm.
After carefully mapping the ground Mr.. Tams
proceeded to build summer houses and winter
houses for his feathered charges. The latter he
called laboratories. They had glass fronts and
looked like miniature winter seaside hotels.
Each breed of fowl had one two huts assigned
to it, and each house having its own yard or
run" as it is called in the hennist's tongue.
These runs were divided and bounded by high
wire fences that even game-cock could not fly
over. Starting from almost q common beginning,
they broadened out like until. with their skel-
eton arch-shaped end they looked like the frame
of some mighty pie left memorial by prehis-
toric Long Islanders.
Mr.. Vanderbilt came down once twice. and
was delighted to see how finely his hens were
getting on, well as enchant ted to listen TO the
noble and dithy-ambic utterances of his i'm
ported hennist. When it was time for eggs 20
be Matched in early spring. Mr.. Tams would let
none of the clucking hens have anything to do
with the operation He soused all would be
hatchers in cold water. and gave them red pep
per TO make them lively" after the traditions
OF his learned profession. Then he bought
two patent incubators. holding 600
eggs apiece and warranted TO turn gut 1000